Abstract [en]

Auditory brain stem implant (ABI) is a method to restore some hearing in patients with bilateral acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) or neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF 2). The ABI device may re-establish some hearing improving patient lip reading, awareness of sound and facilitate speech production after onset of total deafness. Today ABI is an established technique for treatment of deafness in patients with NF 2, with a low complication rate. New indications are inner ear malformations with lacking auditory nerve and severe calcification of the cochlea in children. Additional improvements in technical design and more knowledge about the microanatomy and function of the central auditory pathways, including the cochlear nucleus, will most likely lead to still better results in the near future.